Automatic slot-closer for coin-controlled vending-machines



A. D. GROV-ER.

AUTOMATIC SLOT CLOSER FOR COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINES.

' APPLIQATION man ov. I4. I913.

. ,3 1 6,887 Patented Sept. 23,1919.

A TTORNEY ing mechanism,

ALBERT D. enovnn, or NEW YORK, 1v. Y.,

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

AUTOSALES CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SLOT-CLOSER FOR COIN- Specification of Letters Patent.

CONTROLLED VENDING-MACHINES.

Application filed November 14, 1913. Serial No. 800,944.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT D. Gnovnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Automatic Slot-Closers for Coin-Controlled Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to corn-controlled vending machines, and has for its object to provide an automatic slot-closer for such machines to prevent the insertion of a com into the coin-entrance slot when the magazine is empty.

Broadly considered, my inventlon 1ncludes a yieldable member for normally obstructing the coin entrance slot, but adapted to be moved out of the way by the entering coin, together with means for automatically locking said member in obstructing position when the magazine is empty, so that the subsequent insertion of a coin into the coinentranceslot is prevented until the magazine is again stocked with the desired goods.

In the preferred form of my invention, the yieldable obstructing member forms one wall of the coin-chute which guides the inserted coin into operative position to cause the ejecting mechanism to deliver the goods out of the magazine.

The slot-closing mechanism of my invention is characterized by simplicity of construction, compact arrangement of parts so as to occupy but little space, and certainty of operation.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1, is a front view of the slot-closwith the front plate of the supporting frame work removed and with the parts in normal position.

Fig. 2, is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing how the entering coin moves aside the yieldable obstructing member.

Fig. 3, is a longitudinal view partly in cross-section of my new slot-closing mechanism.

Fig. 4, is a transverse cross-section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing the locking member in normal or inoperative position; and

Fig. '5, is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the locking member for the obstructing member in looking position.

ever, is by no means essential in In the particular form of construction shown in the drawings, the slot-closing mechanism is carried by a suitable frame work 1 having a front wall 2 and a rear wall 3. Between these two walls within the Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

frame work is secured the fixed member 4 which forms the stationary wall of the coinchute 5. The stationary wall 4 is provided with a front plate 6 by means of which it is secured to the front wall 2 of the frame work by bolts 7 or other fastening devices. The member 4 is also provided with a lateral extension 8 at the rear by means of which it is secured to the rear wall 3 of the supporting frame work by bolts or screws 9. The fixed member 4 carries a pin or red 10 on which is journaled the yielding member 11 which forms the movable wall of the coin-chute 5. As clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the fixed wall 4 of the coin-chute is provided at the bottom with a lateral flange 12 which forms the bottom of the coin-chute. The yieldable member 11 is normally held in the position shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 by a suitable spring, such as the spring 13, which is coiled about the rod 10, and bears at its upper end 14 against the top 15 of the member 11, and at its lower end 16 against the stationary wall 4.

The coin-chute 5 formed by the fixed wall 4 and the yieldable wall 11 is in alinement with the com-entrance slot 17 in the front.

plate 2 of the supporting frame 1. This coin-entrance slot 17 is shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2 in cross-section i Fig. 3. It will be observed from the draw ings that the coin-chute is slightly at an angle to the vertical and also at an angle tothe horizontal. The purpose of the downward slope is, of course, to allow the coin to gravitate through the coin-chute, while the purpose of the lateral slope of the coin-chute is to direct the coin against the movable wall 11, so that a coin of insufiicient diameter will drop through the discharge opening 18 formed in the movable wall 11. This particular arrangement of the coin-chute, how the broad aspect of my invention, and I have described it in detail merely to set forth one particular embodiment of my invention, not by way of limitation but for the purpose of illustration.

The fixed wall 4 of the coin-chute is at its lower front edge provided with a curved exopening 21- in the-rear tension 19 which projects across the lower end. of the coin-slot and: forms a bearingfor the coin as the same is forced through the slot to move aside the obstructing extension 20 of the movable wall. 11. The extension 20 is normally in the position shown in Fig. 1, Where it will be seen to project across the upper end of the coin-slot. When a coin C is inserted into the slot, it rests upon the rigid extension 19 and as the coin is pushed inwardly it cams the obstructing extension 20 upwardly against the tension of the spri'n s 13. Figs. 2 and 3 show how the entering coin clears the coin-slot for itself by forcingthe extension 20 upwardly. 1 As' soon asthe entering coin has been pushed inwardly a sufficient amount, the downwardly' pressing extension 20 acts itself as air actuating lever for the coin forcin the same inwardly. While the walls: of the coin' ch-ute are separated from each other when the/extension 20is raised by the entering coin, as soon as the'coin has been pushed in to a point in which the extension 20 ridesdown overthe circularedge of the coin, the

movable wall 11 moves into closing position time to retain the coin within the chute as it snaps from between the extensions 19'and 20. The coin leaves the coin-chute through a discharge ingframe work 1 opening 21, the coin is guided-tea suitable ejecting= mechanism to perform the desired function; As my invention is not concerned with. any particular kind of ejecting mechanism, I havenot deemed it 'necessaryto illustrateand describeany special arrangement for guiding the coinuoutof the coin-chute intow proper operative position. The prior art shows. many kinds of ejecting mechanisms which become operativethrough the medium of: thedep'os'tedcoin.

To explain. how the yieldable obstructing member 1 aiszlocked into obstructing position when the: machine is empty, I have showmin the'drawin'gsina more or less conventional way, amagazine 22 adapted to hold suitablewarticlesor packages 23. The Sl/ZtCkjOf articles may rest upon the inwardly extending-flanges 24; Any suitable ejector mechanism maybe-provided for ejecting the.

articles one by 0 e out of the-magazine when aproper coinihas been deposited. 'Upon the stack; of articlesirests'a weight 25' which descendsr by gravity-as the articles are discharged from the magazine. To the rear wall- 3 of the supporting frame work, is pivoted an arm or 1ever'26 by means of a b01112? or rotherwise. The arm 26 is providedwith a; locking bolt or lug 28 which extends forwardly through the curved slot; 7 29 in the rear wall 3 of the frame:

work. The arm 26 is .providedwith a rearwardlyiextending lug 30, arranged the path of movewall 3 of the support-- From the discharge ment of the lug 31 on the weight 25, as shown in Fig. 3. The normal position of thelocking arm is that shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4:, from which it will'be seen that the bolt 28 is at the left end of the slot-29 out of the path of movement ofthe yieldable wall 11. As long as there are any goods in the magazine, the projection 31 on the weight 25 is out of contact with the lug 30 of the tively preventing the insertion of a coin into i the slot 17 The parts remaininthisposition until the magazine is replenished withand' the locking device'26 restored to its normal or inoperative posi the desired goods,

tion. This, of course, can only be done by onehaving. access to'the interior-of the machine. C

It.Will be; seen from the foregoing that I nism for obstructing or. closing the coin-entrance slot when the machlne 1s empty,

thereby preventing the loss ofthecoin to the This obviates the necessity of special contrivancesheretofore employed. in refunding the deposited coin when. the machine was empty.

patron.

, While. I, have herein shown the yieldable obstructing positlon when the machine is empty, may be mechanically carried out-in other ways than that shown The advantage of having the obstructing member operating one wallzof the coin-chute isto clear the.

seen that the by the GRtGIlDgCOlIL- .95 have provided an exceedingly. simple mecha I coin slot of any foreign substances, such as slugs, paperor forced through the coin slot and become lodged in the coin-chute. In the construction shown in the drawings, the coin-chute is automatically opened wide at the. bottom at each operationrof the machine to insure a clear path for the coin.

Having thus described my invention what.

I claim as new anddesire'to secure by Letters Patentfof the United States is:

1. In; a coin-controlled vending machine having a coin entrancejslot. and a magazine for the vend1ble;art1cles,za coin-chute in allnement with said slot and h'avingi a yieldthe like,ytl1at may have been;

able wall, an extension on said wall for normally obstructing said slot but adapted to be moved aside by the entering coin, and means for automatically locking said wall against movement When the magazine is empty to prevent the insertion of a coin into the machine.

2. In a coin-controlled vending machine having a coin-entrance slot and a magazine for the vendible articles, a coin-chute in alinement with said slot and having a yieldable wall, an extension on said wall for normally obstructing said slot but adapted to be moved aside by the entering coin, a normally inoperative locking device 'or said yieldable wall, and means for automatically moving said device into locking position when the magazine is empty, whereby the extension on said yieldable wall is locked in obstruct ing position to prevent the insertion of a coin into the machine.

3. In a coin-controlled vending machine having a coin-entrance slot and a magazine for the vendible articles, a coin-chute in alinement with said slot and having a yieldable wall, an extension on said wall for normally obstructing said slot but adapted to be moved aside by the entering coin, a normally inoperative locking device for said yieldable wall, and a weight in said magazine adapted to move said locking device into locking position when the magazine is empty, whereby the extension on said yieldable wall is locked in obstructing position to prevent the insertion of a coin into the machine.

4. In a coin-controlled vending machine having a coin-entrance slot and a magazine for the vendible articles, a coin-chute in alinement with said slot and having a yieldable wall, an extension on said wall for normally obstructing said slot but adapted to be moved aside by the entering coin, anormally inoperative locking device pivotally mounted at the rear of said coin-chute and having a forwardly extending lug adapted to lock said yieldable wall against movement when said device is in operated position, a rearwardly extending lug on said device, and a weight in said magazine having a projection adapted to engage said last mentloned lug when the magazine is empty and thereby move and retain said device in looking position, whereby the extension on said yieldable wall is locked in obstructing position to prevent the insertion of a coin into the machine.

5. In a coin-controlled vending machine, a frame work having front and rear walls, a magazine arranged at the rear of said frame work for containing the vendible articles, a coin-entrance slot in the front wall of said frame work, a coin-chute mounted between the walls of the frame work in copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the alinement with said slot, said coin-chute having a yieldable wall provided with an extension for normally obstructing said slot but adapted to be moved aside by the entering coin, a normally inoperative locking device pivotally mounted in the rear wall of said frame work and having a lug adapted to engage said yieldable wall when said device is in locking or operated position, and a weight in said magazine having a projection adapted to engage and move said device into locking position When the magazine is empty, whereby the extension on said yieldable wall is locked in obstructing position to prevent the insertion of a coin into the machine.

6. In a coin-controlled vending machine having a coin-entrance slot and a magazine for the vendible articles, a coin chute for receiving the coin from said slot and guiding it into operative position within the machine, said coin-chute having a yieldable wall or section, an extension on said wall for normally obstructing said slot but adapted to be moved aside by the entering coin, whereby said yieldable wall or section is actuated to open the coin-chute at the bottom and thereby clear the same of any foreign substances lodged therein, a weight in said magazine on top of the column of articles, and means controlled by said weight for locking said extension in obstructing position when the magazine is empt so as to prevent the insertion of a coin into said coin entrance slot.

7. In a coin-controlled vending machine having a coin-entrance slot and a magazine for the vendible articles, a coin-chute for rec elving the coin from said slot and guiding 1t 1nto operative position within the machine, said coin-chute having a yieldable wall or section, an extension on said wall for normally obstructing said slot but adapted to be moved aside by the entering coin, whereby said yieldable wall or section is actuated to open the coin-chute at the bottom and thereby clear the same of any foreign substances lodged therein, a normally inoperative locking device for said yieldable wall or section, and a weight in said magazine on top of the column of articles for moving said locking device into locking position when the magazine is empty, whereby said extension is locked in obstructing position to prevent the insertion of a coin into said coinentrance slot.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 6th day of November, 1913.

ALBERT D. GROVER.

Witnesses:

A. A. THOMAS, LOUELLA F. LITTLE.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

